


Lost and Found

by sacredraisincakes



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 09:07:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12407382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sacredraisincakes/pseuds/sacredraisincakes
Summary: Arthur returns, and then Merlin and Arthur get lost in a corn maze.





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out Fandom Loves Puerto Rico! https://fandomlovespuertorico.dreamwidth.org/
> 
> Many writers, artists, betas, and podficcers are giving away their services to raise money to support Puerto Rico as they recover from Hurricane Maria. I myself am signed up as a beta, and I will be happy to lend you my SPaG skills in return for your donations! (I promise I beta other people's fics much better than I do my own.)
> 
> Thank you to the chatzy gang for helping me with a nice easy prompt to get me out of my writing rut! Maybe I can finally get back to writing my Merlin holidays fic.

 

“You're telling me people do this for _fun_?”

Arthur eyed the entrance to the corn maze warily.  It was the middle of the day, the sun shining merrily on the stocks of corn. A scarecrow was set up to point the way into the maze.  To the unwitting eye, it was almost a scene from his days back in Camelot.  Of course, back then he wouldn't have been wearing a soft woolen jumper and trousers made of stiff denim.  But he _would_ have still had Merlin at his side, bouncing on the balls of his feet with unbridled excitement.

“Yes, Arthur, they do. I'm telling you, it's perfectly safe.  Besides, you've been in labyrinths before.”

Arthur snorted. “I'm not doubting it's safe, _Mer_ lin. I'm wondering how wandering around in circles could be considered such a prime form of amusement.”

Not that he'd protested that hard when Merlin insisted on dragging him here. All of the new-fangled “technology” around Merlin's chambers was disorienting at times, even after a few months of living there since his return. While he had learned to use the computer and the television, and even Merlin's mobile device, Arthur preferred moments like this where there was nothing in sight he could not name at a glance.

“It just _is,_ okay?”  Merlin pouted, his big surprise outing seemingly gone awry. “Look, they're having fun!”  He pointed to a pair of kids dragging their exhausted looking mother into the maze.

“Because they're _five_.” Merlin's pout deepened, and Arthur could sense true upset on the horizon. He threw an arm around Merlin's shoulders, ruffling Merlin's hair with a rough hand. “But why should I be surprised?  You always were a bit of a child yourself.”

Merlin shrugged him off with a laugh. “Come on, you giant pumpkin head. Let's get lost.”

Once upon a time Arthur boasted himself the greatest tracker in all of the five kingdoms. Obviously a thousand years at the bottom of a lake had dulled that reflex a bit. Quite quickly _“lost”_ was a word he certainly would have ascribed to the two of them, as they ran into their seventh dead end.

“Are we sure this isn't some ingenious plot to force us to starve to death?” Arthur snapped, stripping off the jumper Merlin had pressed on him before they left the flat that morning despite the blazingly warm sun above them.

“If it was, I'd say it's less than genius since we're literally surrounded by food.”

“We've been in here for an _hour_ , Merlin.”

“Well the site did boast it as the largest corn maze in all Britain,” Merlin pointed out sheepishly. 

Arthur chose to let his scathing comment about _that_ decision pass. “Obviously we need a new plan. Why don't we just walk through the stalks?  Eventually we'll have to come out somewhere.”

“Arthur, no!  That takes all the fun out of it!”  Merlin turned those pleading puppy eyes on him, and Arthur knew he was about to give in. A thousand years hadn't changed _everything_. “Just a little bit longer?  Then I swear I'll get us out of here. One way or another.”

“ _Fine_ ,” he heaved a sigh, trudging onwards once more. “The things I do for you.”

It was hard to tell if they were making progress, but Arthur didn't think they'd passed that particular pumpkin carving before, so that was something at least. The sun continued to make its way across the afternoon sky. Finally he had to call a halt again.

“Hold up, I need to retie these laces.”  Arthur crouched down, glad the earth was dry enough it wouldn't leave a stain on his trousers. Merlin made him do his own laundry if Arthur unnecessarily muddied his things, and the washing machine was the highest form of evil.

Merlin smirked, as he often did when he knew Arthur was about to struggle with something. “I'll go check ahead and see if it's another dead end or if we're onto something.”

Arthur took hold the laces and slowly began to loop them around each other. This was another of those things Merlin would have done for him in the old days that he refused to do now, saying it would make Arthur look incompetent to be unable to handle his own shoes. He still fumbled a bit, and when no one was around to hear it he might have repeated the inane story about a bunny rabbit Merlin had chattered on about. On the worst days he simply tucked the laces down the side and hoped for the best.

Merlin hadn't returned yet, getting further and further away, so this looked to be one of those days.  Arthur straightened, then began to jog forward, hoping to catch up. As he rounded a corner, however, his shortcut got the better of him and he stumbled, falling to the ground with a very dignified yelp.

“Arthur?”  The corn next to him disintegrated, and a wild looking Merlin emerged, eyes blazing with gold, hand outstretched. “What happened, where'd they go?”

“They who?”

“I didn't even sense anyone around. How did they get away so quickly?  I'll find them, don't you worry.”

Finally realising what the idiot was going on about, Arthur began to laugh. “ _Mer_ lin you dolt. Nobody _attacked_ me. I _tripped_. If you want to blame anyone I'd say it's you since you insisted I had to do the bloody laces myself.”

“Wha- oh.” The gold fury faded, leaving just his Merlin again, only now looking a bit lost. “You're okay?”

“Of course I'm okay, it's just dirt.”  Merlin didn't look reassured, and Arthur couldn't help but notice the traces of fear in his eyes, particularly as he glanced down to where a thousand years ago a sword had been plunged into Arthur's side. Arthur gentled his voice, reaching a hand out so Merlin could see he was still there, still solid and unharmed. “I'm fine, Merlin. I promise.  I'll always be fine.”

“You won't,” Merlin denied softly.

“Maybe not.” Arthur took his hand, since Merlin didn't seem able to move yet. “But this isn't Camelot. Morgana's gone. No one even knows who I am, much less has a reason to want me dead.  Even if they do… I don't want to live my second chance in fear of what might come.”  He raised his free hand to cup Merlin's face. “I'd rather enjoy what I have in front of me now.”

Merlin buried his face in Arthur's neck, tension seeping out of his body. Arthur held him close, sure this wouldn't be the end of this particular discussion. He hoped, however, it would also be the start of another.  “Let’s make use of that magic compass you've been holding back on and go home, okay? You can show me again how to use the stingray player.”

Merlin snorted, a little wetly though Arthur wouldn't bring it up. “It's blu ray. You need to stop watching so much Animal Planet.”

“There were baby elephants yesterday, Merlin.” He let Merlin lead him through the maze by the hand, confident now in their direction. “Do you know how many wars could be avoided if the entire world just watched baby elephants all day? All of them.”

“I'll be sure to bring it up at the next UN summit. Baby elephants, the key to world peace.”

“Too right they are. Um, Merlin?”

“Yes?”

“What are you going to do about the giant hole back there?”

 


End file.
